Milan Havlis - gardening

Beauty berry. Sounds like a beauty salon. The truth is the name is right because this plant, originally from China, is grown for its beautifully coloured berries. It is a mid-sized shrub with deep green, elliptic to obovate, deciduous leaves that are bronze when young. It flowers in summer ...

This easy to grow shrub has many names and all of them say something about the beautiful scent of the flowers: sweetshrub, strawberry shrub, or even pineapple shrub. That’s because of the deliciously scented flowers which smell like a blend of strawberry jam and apple juice. ...

To give you a rough guide through the profusion of the campsis colours, we sorted them by name, colour, size, and hardiness: 1. Campsis radicans – is the basic species of the hardiest trumpet creeper with long red flowers, usually bright orange on the outside, suckers are long and thin, b ...

Probably the most eye-catching version of trumpet creepers is this Chinese one. The flowers are large and spectacular: 7-9 cm wide, salmon pink with a clear yellow throat. The buds form a raceme that blooms from July till frosts. Pinnate leaves are dark green and glossy, and make a luxuri ...

Probably the most eye-catching version of trumpet creepers is this Chinese one. The flowers are large and spectacular: 7-9 cm wide, salmon pink with a clear yellow throat. The buds form a raceme that blooms from July till frosts. Pinnate leaves are dark green and glossy, and make a luxurious bac ...

This is the species of trumpet creeper that comes from North America and has deep red flowers. They are trumpet-shaped, 5-6 cm long. Flowering begins in early July and strong, well-established plants keep on blooming until the first frosts. Pinnate leaves are large, deciduous, mid to dark gre ...

If you like red flowers in summer, Flamenco variety of north-american trumpet creeper is a perfect choice. It bears plentiful of trumpet shaped, up to 7 cm long flowers with yellow throats and red veins. They are formed at the ends of current year's branches in rich umbels. Pinn ...

Flava is a north-american variety of trumpet creeper with golden yellow flowers. They are trumpet-shaped, 5-6 cm long. Flowering begins in mid July and strong, well-established plants keep on blooming until the first frosts. Pinnate leaves are large, deciduous, light green and r ...

Speciosa is a lovely variety of north-american trumpet creeper with trumpet shaped flowers that are red with some orange shades and light orange or yellow throat with conspicuous red veins. They are formed at the ends of current year's branches in rich umbels. Pinnate leaves are ...

Stromboli is a strong variety with deep red flowers. They are trumpet-shaped, 7-8 cm long, deep red both inside and outside, the throat shows a few dark veins on yellowish background. Flowering begins in mid July and strong, well-established plants keep on blooming until the first fros ...

This is the species of north-american trumpet creeper trained into a tree with a real stem. It bears terminal cymes of rich red, trumpet-shaped flowers from early summer until the first frosts. Pinnate leaves are deep green and enhance its tropical appearance. Being originally a climbing ...

This trumpet creeper is really trained into a small tree. 1 or 2 meter tall trunk with a blooming crown gives this exotic looking plant a new glamour. Beautiful, golden-yellow flowers grow at the ends of new branches. They come out in July and don’t stop till the first frosts.

„Indian Summer“® is one of the latest varieties among trumpet creepers. It is a successful cross between c.tagliabuana and c.radicans that originated in the Netherlands and was patented in the USA under the name Kudian. It blooms abundantly from early July un ...

The latest variety of trumpet creeper named Indian Summer“® has been winning all sorts of awards since 1998. It is a successful cross between c.tagliabuana and c.radicans that originated in the Netherlands and was patented in the USA under the name Kudian. It bloom ...

In 1893, in a nursery near Milano, Italy, Tagliabua brothers made a beautiful cross between North American radicans and Chinese grandiflora, which inherited hardiness from the west and large flowers from the east. The flowers are 7-9 cm wide, orange red with yellowish-throat. The buds form a raceme ...

Another gorgeous tree form of a trumpet creeper has flowers of “Madame Galen” variety. In 1893, in a nursery near Milano, Italy, Tagliabua brothers made a beautiful cross between North American campsis radicans and Chinese campsis grandiflora, which inherited hardiness from the we ...

Indian Summer is another gorgeous variety of trumpet creeper which was trained into a small tree. It is a brilliant idea because such form does not need a trellis or a wall, it can stand anywhere in the garden, on its own or in the middle of other, smaller shrubs. The trumpet-shape ...

Columnaris Nana is a perfect versionof hornboeam for those who have limited space in their gardens. It is a dwarf variety of hornbeam growing slowly to about 1m in 10-15 years. Though it is a dwarf one, its deciduous leaves are, however, not much smaller than leaves of the speci ...

Monumentalis is a unique version of hornbeam with strictly conical shape and very slow growth rate. Leaves are bright green and cover the whole of the plant. Even after they fall the tree remains very attractive with its regularly growing branches making a bonsai appearance. No pruning ...

One of the original trees found in natural woodlands of Europe is hornbeam. Varieties of this deciduous tree are becoming more and more popular in gardens, too. Fastigiata, syn. “Pyramidalis” is an elegant, slow growing hornbeam with columnar habit and branches g ...

Blue Balloon® is a fantastic new variety of bluebeard. It is a very popular shrub of low growth with purple-blue flowers. They are formed in terminal cymes and bloom from end summer until early autumn. Their scent is attractive for butterflies and bumble-bees. What humans ca ...

Heavenly Blue is a favourite variety of bluebeard. It has profusion of purple-blue flowers at the end of summer that attract bumble bees and butterflies. The leaves are deep green on the upper side and silvery blue-green beneath. They have an interesting scent which recalls cook ...

Worcester Gold is another variety of bluebeard. This one has bright yellow-green leaves. They are narrow, aromatic and silvery-green beneath. Flowers are formed in small panicles and their deep blue colour looks like sky before a storm. They attract butterflies and bumble-bees. ...

Bravo to French cultivators who come up with this new variety of bluebeard! Want to hear why we are so excited about it? Compared to its parent this one has deep green, larger leaves with silvery underneath; deeper blue and more numerous flowers; its flowering period is rather extended from m ...

Chestnut is cultivated for several beautiful features. The deciduous leaves are deep green, elliptic to oblong, up to 20 cm long, distinctly serrated and glossy, turning deep golden yellow in autumn. Flowers are creamy beige catkins that appear in July. They release a rather strong fragrance ...

Sweet chestnut originates in the Balkans and Southern Europe and has become very popular mainly in English parks where centenary specimens stand in their gracious beauty in the middle of neat lawns. Chestnut is cultivated for several beautiful features. The deciduous leaves are deep green ...

Catalpas have been grown in our country for many years. The species may be found in every larger city as an important feature of a city park. It offers outstanding points of interest such as large leaves in summer and long cigar-shaped seed pods in winter, hence its name Indian Bean Tree. ...

Aurea variey bears huge, tropical looking, heart shaped leaves (20-25 cm large), of bright yellow-green colour. They are slightly hairy like suede, pleasant to touch. They have interesting scent similar to tobacco leaves that allegedly repels insects. Beginning of summer 20-30 cm t ...

Nana variety is a lot different to the species. It can be found under its second Latin name catalpa bungei. It is a small tree that can be considered dwarf as opposed to its parent. It was bred to achieve an attractive tree with exceptional foliage but of reduced size to fit even a sma ...

Do you like a tall tree but are afraid it would be too big for your small garden? Well, if you have enough will to prune it every one or two years you can always control its size provided it is not an ash type tree growing about 1 m every year. Thus you can enhance the look of your garden with somet ...

Buttonbush is a very interesting shrub, popular with collectors. Its main feature are flowers that are perfect spheres with tiny, pure white, tubular flowers. They are followed by small, green fruit. It flowers on current year’s wood. They have a nice scent and attract butterflies. D ...

Hardy plumbago is a superb substitution for its tender relative common in the Mediterranean. This one has even deeper blue flowers with 5 petals, mid-green, bristly, obovate, deciduous leaves with purple margins and purple stems. The plants itself is very dense and in full sun bears profu ...

Eastern redbud is a lovely, deciduous, small tree or a large shrub where the word “love” is the key feature. Why? Because its leaves are in a perfect shape of a heart that we are used to draw as an icon. Moreover, Forest Pansy variety has burgundy red to deep burg ...

Hearts of Gold® has gorgeous, heart-shaped leaves of vivid golden-yellow to yellow-green colour. They are large: 10 cm or more across. When they emerge their colour is honey orange and mature leaves closer to the trunk change to pale, mid green while the tips of the branches still ...

Lavender Twist® is a fantastic variety of eastern redbud with weeping, slightly twisted branches. With age the crown makes a unique shape comparable to some Japanese maples. Leaves are large, mid green, typically heart-shaped. Small, purple-pink to lavender-pink flowers are ...

This redbud had to be renamed to Texas whitebud owing to its white flowers. They are small, pea-like, and appear in profusion in spring on bare wood. However, the best feature of this variety found in Texas is the lustrous foliage. The leaves are light to mid green, large and very glossy. ...

Judas tree is a rather special plant with profusion of beautiful, bright pink flowers in mid spring. They are small, pea-like, and so special due to their appearance on bare wood and even the main stems, however large and old they are. For prolific flowering the plant needs a hot and sunny su ...

Fringe tree is a very rare and beautiful small shrub or small tree. In early summer it has profusion of upto 20 cm long pendent panicles of fragrant, shiny snow-white, narrow flowers, turning to bluish black berries. Mid to deep green opposite leaves are elliptic and glossy. Fringe tree grows slowly ...

The orchid- or azalea-like flowers of Morning Cloud chitalpa are white with prominent purple to burgundy red veins leading out from inside the yellow throat. The petals have frilled margins. Flowers have a lovely, sweet scent. Narrowly elongated leaves are 10-20 cm long, mid green, ...

Pink Dawn is a name that fits this beauty perfectly. The orchid-like flowers are soft pink as a new dawn promising a lovely day. They have yellow throats with purple-pink veins and frilled margins. They are lightly scented with a sweet perfume that attracts butterflies. They come out i ...

The orchid-like flowers are pale to bright pink with a yellow throat and frilled margins. Flowers have a lovely, sweet scent. Summer Bells® is a chitalpa variety repeating flowering. It starts in early summer and last for 2-3 weeks, and then again in second half of August fo ...

Yellow wood is a rare, though fully hardy tree that deserves more attention. Its origin is not clear and definite. Usually this small tree or large shrub is connected with Kentucky, USA, but many plants grow freely on limestone cliffs on China and Japan. It used to be a jewel of royal gardens ...

Ashva is an attractive variety of clematis with 7-10 cm wide flowers. The sepals are violet-purple with a wide stripe in the middle of magenta colour. It belongs to Group 3 clematis, flowering in mid- and late summer. Flowers appear on new growths. Cut back all the previous y ...

Dr.Ruppel is a clematis with rosy pink flowers, 10-15 cm across, with darker central bands. They are produced freely throughout summer. It belongs to Group 2 clematis. Its flowers appear first in late spring and early summer on last year’s sideshoots, and in mid- and la ...

Mrs.Cholmondeley is my favourite clematis. Its large flowers are 15-18 cm across, light lavender-blue with widely spaced sepals and light chocolate anthers. It belongs to Group 2 clematis. Its flowers appear first in late spring and early summer on last year’s sideshoot ...

Mrs.George Jackaman is a large-flowered climbing clematis with single or semi-double flowers of pure white colour with elegant, dark anthers. It belongs to Group 2 clematis. Its flowers appear first in late spring and early summer on last year’s sideshoots, and in mid- ...

Multi Blue is a large-flowered variety of clematis with double flowers of clear blue colour with 6-8 broad outer sepals and many short, narrow, cream-edged inner sepals. It belongs to Group 2 clematis. Its flowers appear first in late spring and early summer on last year̵ ...

Niobe is a large-flowered clematis with 10-15 cm wide flowers of deep magenta-red colour. The flowers are freely borne throughout summer. It belongs to Group 2 clematis. Its flowers appear first in late spring and early summer on last year’s sideshoots, and in mid- and ...

Piilu is an interesting variety of clematis with double flowers in late spring and single flowers in late summer / early autumn. They have frilled margins. The flower sepals are light lilac-mauve with deeper red wide bands in the middle, and yellow anthers. They are 6-12 cm acro ...

Rouge Cardinal is a clematis with the deepest shade of crimson red colour. The flowers are velvety, with a slightly lighter band across the sepals. This variety prefers full sun. It belongs to Group 3 clematis, flowering in mid- and late summer. Flowers appear on new growths. ...

The President is an old-time favourite with large, 10-15 cm across, deep blue flowers. The sepals are narrow and separated from each other. Anthers are more or less white making a nice contrast with the flower colour. It belongs to Group 2 clematis. Its flowers appear first in late ...

Ville de Lyon is a large-flowered clematis variety with carmine-red flowers. The sepals are deeper nearer their margins, the anthers are yellow. The flowers are compact, almost flat, and very pretty. Bes grown through a shrub as lower foliage becomes scorched by late summer. ...

Sweet pepper bush is becoming popular again in our country. It is a medium-sized shrub flowering in summer. Flowers are bell-shaped, creamy white, opening from rose buds, formed in upright racemes with pinkish stalks in July and August. They have a lovely, sweet fragrance, hence its name. ...

Ruby Spice has flowers of has the deepest shade of pink so far selected. Flowers are bell-shaped, light pink, opening from rose buds, formed in upright racemes in July and August. They have a lovely, sweet fragrance, hence its name. Flower buds are deep pink. Oval leaves are decidu ...

Illico® is a compact variety with 20-30 cm long stalks bearing profusion of golden yellow flowers from June till August. Deadheading will enhance the flowering but is not a must. It flowers abundantly every year. Its leaves are blue-green to green, wider than on thread-leaf varieti ...

Stellar Pink® is a cross between cornus kousa and cornus florida “Sweetwater”. The flowers are in fact bracts. There are 4 wide bracts, composed around a small flower head, 10 cm across. It is very floriferous ...

Venus® is a trade name for this lovely plant. It is truly much nicer than the original variety name “KN30-8”. It is as mathematical as the breeding equation: (cornus kousa „Chinensis“ x cornus nuttalli „Goldspot“ ) x cornus kousa „Rosea“. T ...

Gouchaultii is an attractive variety of Tatarian dogwood with broadly ovate, deciduous, mid green leaves with rich golden-yellow margins. The leaves emerge bronze-pink flushed and keep a certain portion of this shade throughout the spring, showing it again in early autumn. Matur ...

This giant dogwood has another name which, in my opinion, characterizes the plant much better = wedding cake tree. Looking at the habit of the more commonly grown cultivar Variegata one knows exactly what it means. This beauty can easily become a show-stopping specimen in ...

Flowering dogwood is a quite unusual and special shrub or small tree which draws your attention all year round: in the spring it has very showy large petal-like coloured bracts, and its leaves turn to beautiful colours early in th autumn. Cherokee Chief has 4 bright pink bracts ...

Cherokee Daybreak® has 4 large, creamy white bracts around a tiny flower head. Leaves are mid green with yellowish-white varigation that turns pink towards the end of summer. Autumn leaves show multiple of colours with prevailing purple shades. This shrub does not like stress of ...

Cherokee Sunset (Red Sunset) puts together everything the breeders have yet been able to come up with. The flower bracts are the deepest red that can be seen on dogwood. And the leaves are mid green with yellowish-white varigation with orange shades. The margins turn pink towards the e ...

Rainbow has 4 creamy white bracts on bare branches in the spring and truly rainbow-like leaves. They are bright green with rich yellow varigation, gaining pink and red shades towards the autumn. This shrub does not like stress of any kind. Find it a nice spot now so you do not ha ...

Rubra is one of the most known and at the same time beautiful varieties of flowering dogwood. The inflorescence is composed of 4 medium-sized, deep pink or reddish purple flower bracts around a small, rounded head with tiny, tubular flowers that are followed by small, glossy, red fruit ...

Japanese (kousa) dogwoods are very attractive trees or tall shrubs which unlike cornus florida produce flowers after the plant is fully leafed, at the end of May. Cappuccino is a brand new variety with coloured leaves. They emerge bright green soon changing to bronze in the sun ...

In only 1995 James Schmidt from Oregon, USA, patented his version of Japanese dogwood named "Heart Throb"® with bright pink flowers. Botanically, they are flowers bracts, while flowers are inconspicuous, very small and form a tiny sphere in the middle of the four bracts. Sin ...

Milky Way is an old time favourite. It has snow white to creamy white flowers. Technically, they are not flowers but 4 flower bracts composed around small flower heads. They are 6-10 cm wide and conspicuous as they come out in June when the shrub is in leaf, and the foliage makes a den ...

Satomi Compact is the latest version of pink-flowering Japanese dogwood. It is a sport of “Satomi” against which it has much more compact and denser growth. Its flowers are of light to deep pink colour that is unevenly spread throughout the flowers. Technically, they ...

“Satomi” is the most sought after variety among the Japanese ones. Its flowers are of light to deep pink colour that is unevenly spread throughout the flowers. Technically, they are not flowers but 4 flower bracts composed around small flower heads. They are up to 10 cm wide and c ...

Schmetterling is a European variety of Japanese dogwood. Its main feature that sets it apart from other dogwoods is its vigorous and upright growth. Young plants do not make many lateral branches as much as older, mature trees which produce longer branches in the upper parts of ...

Another extraordinary Japanese flowering dogwood is called Teutonia and comes from Asia. Unlike cornus florida this type flowers when in leaf – in June. The flowers are tiny but surrounded by 4 large, creamy-white bracts, which can be 6-8 cm wide. Leaves are deep green, often ...

This Japanese dogwood has both large leaves and flowers. It flowers in June when the shrub is fully in leaf. The flowers are 6-8 cm wide, creamy white flower composed around small flower heads. They are followed by edible, bright pink fruit that looks like litchi. Pointed leaves are deciduous ...

China Girl is a freely flowering Japanese dogwood with numerous creamy white flowers in June when the shrub is fully in leaf. Technically, they are not flowers but 4 flower bracts composed around small flower heads. They are followed by edible, bright pink fruit that looks like ...

Bloodtwig dogwood is a low-maintenance shrub that is popular especially in parks and gardens with reduced time for regular care. Its main attraction are beautifully coloured leafless branches in winter. This variety shows glowing orange at the base to vivid red and purple towards the top o ...

Buttercup winterhazel is a rare shrub from Japan and Taiwan. It is especially popular among hobbyists and garden enthusiasts. Its small, primrose yellow flowers are born in pendent racemes from early March until end April, weather conditions pending. They are fragrant and do not mind ligh ...

Spike winterhazel is a rare shrub from Japan and Taiwan. It is especially popular among hobbyists and garden enthusiasts. Its small, primrose yellow flowers are born in 10-15 cm long, pendent racemes from early March until end April, weather conditions pending. They are fragrant and do no ...

This variety of hazel has straight branches with deep red, almost black leaves. It is a dwarf selection with slower growth rate and maximum height of 2,5-3,0m. The crown is dense and round. Thanks to its limited size it is ideal for small gardens. No special soil requirements, it does well in chalky ...

Nearly everybody knows European hazel and most of us like its nuts. This common shrub was used to create something quite extraordinary – a curly version – corkscrew hazel. This slow growing shrub has contorted stems which are the main attraction especially in winter. Unlike the basic spe ...

Red Majestic is another form of hazel with twisted branches. The leaves are deep burgundy red to nearly brown. This slow growing shrub makes the best display in winter when the leaves have fallen down and the branches show their shape. Unlike the species, it is keeping rathe ...

Smoke tree might have a slight problem these days when smoking outside becomes prohibited ... just joking, the alleged smoke is what flowering of this shrub looks like. It blooms from June to July and from a distance the clusters do look like purple smoke. The leaves of Royal Purple are deep burgun ...

GOLDEN SPIRIT® is a new variety of smoke tree from Boskoop, Netherlands, patented in 2000 by Sanders-van Harn a Adriana Christina Bastiona under the name „Ancot“. It is unique for its bright lime-yellow foliage on relatively long stalks compared to the leaf s ...

Smoke tree might have a slight problem these days when smoking outside becomes prohibited ... just joking, the alleged smoke is what flowering of this shrub looks like. It blooms from June to July and from a distance the clusters do look like purple smoke. The leaves are light green. It requires no ...

This very attractive hawthorn can be either a great specimen in your garden or used as a hedge. In late May the branches will be covered with bright pink to crimson red clusters of double flowers. The leaves have 3-5 rounded lobes and are deep green and shiny. It grows as a large shrub or ...

Apricot Gem is a multicoloured broom. Its flowers are apricot orange to salmon pink on the upper petals, and deen golden yellow in the centre with red margins. Blooming time is early May to early June. Leaves are small, up to 2 cm long, and mature plants are nearly leafless. ...

Boskoop Ruby received an award already for the deepest red flowering broom. The colour of pea-like flowers is bright ed with both magenta and orange shades. Blooming time is early May to early June. Leaves are small, up to 2 cm long, and mature plants are nearly leafless. It forms a ...

La Coquette is another bi-coloured broom from the scoparius group. It combines deep yellow or almost orange, and bright pink to deep red pea-like flowers. Blooming time is early May to early June. Leaves are small, up to 2 cm long, and mature plants are nearly leafless. It fo ...

Allgold is a hybrid variety made from crossing c.multiflorus x c.purgans. It has deep yellow pea-like flowers on deep green branches. Blooming time about a month, from the first half of May. Leaves are small, up to 2 cm long, and mature plants are nearly leafless. It forms a ...